A Mentor man admitted in Lake County Common Pleas Court on June 2 to using Facebook to send and ask young girls for inappropriate photos.
Troy P. Slapnicker, 30, of 9151 Mentor Ave. A3, pleaded guilty to 17 charges: one count of third-degree felony importuning; eight counts of fifth-degree felony importuning; two counts of fourth-degree felony disseminating matter harmful to juveniles; two counts of fifth-degree felony counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles; one count of fourth-degree felony pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor; and two counts of fifth-degree felony illegal use of a minor in nudity oriented material.
At Slapnicker’s change of plea hearing before Judge Eugene A. Lucci, Assistant Lake County Prosecuting Attorney Jenny B. Azouri said each of the 17 charges involved a different victim, including 16 minor females and one police officer posing as a minor female.
If the case had gone to trial, Azouri said that the evidence would have shown Slapnicker, beginning in September 2013, used Facebook to solicit minor female victims to engage in sexual activity with him.
While he did not meet with any of the girls, he also sent photos of an erect penis and photos of a juvenile female’s genitalia to the girls.
Slapnicker was arrested on Feb. 11 after an investigation by the Mentor Police Department. In January, a 12-year-old girl contacted police and reported that a user named “Zeon Zak” had asked her for inappropriate pictures of herself.
Working with the Cuyahoga County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, an officer posed as a 14-year-old girl and conversed with Zeon Zak on Facebook. During this conversation, he solicited her for sex. Authorities were eventually able to identify Slapnicker as the man behind the Zeon Zak profile.
Before the hearing, Assistant Lake County Public Defender Margaret S. Campbell reviewed the guilty plea agreement with Slapnicker to ensure he understood what he was pleading guilty to. Lucci then went over the charges again in the courtroom before Slapnicker signed the guilty plea document.
He was originally charged with 27 charges including: one count of third-degree felony importuning, three counts of fourth-degree felony disseminating material harmful to juveniles, one count of fourth-degree felony pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, 12 counts of fifth-degree felony importuning, seven counts of fifth-degree felony disseminating material harmful to juveniles, and three counts of fifth-degree felony illegal use of minor in nudity-oriented material, according to court records.
The charges that Slapnicker did not plead guilty to will be dismissed at the time of sentencing.
Lucci revoked Slapnicker’s previous bond, meaning he will remain in custody until his sentencing hearing on July 31.
Slapnicker faces a maximum possible jail sentence of 20 ˝ years in prison and a $57,500 fine.

About the Author

Matt is the breaking news editor at The News-Herald. He tweets @MattNewsHerald. Send him a tip there or to mskrajner@news-herald.com. Fan of sports, TV, rock music and video games. Buckeye alum. O-H! Reach the author at mskrajner@news-herald.com
or follow Matt on Twitter: @MattNewsHerald.